The true excellency of a minister of the Gospel. A sermon preached at Pelham,…The true excellency of a minister of the Gospel. A sermon preach'd at Pelham,…

'Tis the Glory of the Sun that such a bright and glorious Light, and such a powerful, refreshing, vivifying Heat, are both together diffused from that Luminary. When there is Light in a Minister, consisting in human Learning, great speculative Knowledge and the Wisdom of this World without a spiritual Warmth & Ardour in his Heart, & a holy Zeal in his Ministrations, his Light is like the Light of an Ignis Fatuus, & some Kinds of putrefying Carcasses that shine in the dark, tho' they are of a stinking Savour. And if on the other Hand a Minister has Warmth and Zeal, without Light, his Heat has nothing excellent in it, but is rather to be abhorred; being like the Heat of the bottomless Pit; where, though the Fire be great, yet there is no Light. To be hot in this Manner, and not lightsome, is to be like an Angel of Darkness. But Ministers by having Light and Heat united in them, will be like the Angels of Light; which for their Light and Brightness are called Morning Stars, Job 38.7. When the Morning Stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy. And because of that holy Ardour of divine Love and Zeal with which they burn, they are compared to a flaming Fire, Psal. 104.4. Who maketh his Angels Spirits, and his Ministers a flaming Fire, and are therefore called Seraphims, which is a Word that is derived from a Root that signifies to burn. So that by Ministers of the Gospel being burning and shining Lights, the Angels of the Churches will become like the Angels of Heaven, and those Stars held in the right Hand of Christ here below, will be like those Morning Stars above, & which is much more, hereby Ministers will be like their glorious Lord & Master; who is not only the Master of Ministers of the Gospel but is the Head & Lord of the glorious Angels, whom they adore, and who communicates to them the Brightness in which they shine, and the Flame with which they burn, and is the glorious Luminary and Sun of the heavenly World, from whence all the Inhabitants of that World have their Light and Life, and all their Glory. In this Sun of Righteousness is that Light, whose Brightness is such that the Light of the Sun in the Firmament in Comparison of it is as Darkness, yea black as Sackcloth of Hair: For he is the infinite Brightness of God's Glory; and of him it is said, Isai. 24.23.

'Tis the Glory of the Sun that such a bright and glorious Light, and such a powerful, refreshing, vivifying Heat, are both together diffused from that Luminary. When there is Light in a Minister, consisting in human Learning, great speculative Knowledge and the Wisdom of this World without a spiritual Warmth & Ardour in his Heart, & a holy Zeal in his Ministrations, his Light is like the Light of an Ignis Fatuus, & some Kinds of putrifying Carcasses that shine in the dark, tho' they are of a stinking Savour. And if on the other Hand a Minister has Warmth and Zeal, without Light, his Heat has nothing excellent in it, but is rather to be abhor'd; being like the Heat of the bottomless Pit; where, though the Fire be great, yet there is no Light. To be hot in this Manner, and not lightsom, is to be like an Angel of Darkness. But Ministers by having Light and Heat united in them, will be like the Angels of Light; which for their Light and Brightness are called Morning Stars,